Whitley County Detention Center, Kentucky
End of Watch: Tuesday, October 29, 1940
Age: 57
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 29, 1940
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Paroled in 1954
Turnkey Joe Tuggle was shot and killed by a prisoner in the Whitley County Jail as he brought the man out of his cell to talk to a visitor.
The prisoner suddenly grabbed Turnkey Tuggle's pistol from its holster and shot him twice, killing him. The suspect escaped from the jail but was arrested seven hours later after a bloodhound tracked him to a mountain 15 miles from the jail.
The 21-year-old prisoner, who was awaiting transfer to the state penitentiary to begin serving a 21 year sentence for robbing a gas station, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. In 1945 Governor Simeon S. Willis commuted his sentence to life. He was paroled July 15, 1954.
Turnkey Tuggle was survived by his wife and son.